Taking advantage of the opportunities around you can take you far.
Addie Hunt, a biomedical sciences junior has embraced that approach throughout her time at Missouri State University and found her passion in the healthcare field.
From Blue Springs, Missouri, Hunt grew up with a father who is a physical therapist. His career inspired her interest in the medical field. She decided to pursue biomedical sciences due to its versatility.
“I’m confident biomedical sciences will set me up for success in whatever I decide to go into, whether that be research or practicing in a clinic,” said Hunt, who has triple minors in chemistry, human life sciences and general business.
Maximizing on campus experiences
Hunt has made the most of her time at Missouri State since arriving in fall 2024.
During her freshman year, she participated in service-learning through the office of citizenship and service-learning and the Honors College. She worked at an optometry clinic, assisting with vision testing, serving low-income patients and creating sliding scale insurance coverage sheets.
“It was neat getting to see a side of healthcare I don’t think I ever would have seen otherwise,” Hunt said.
During her sophomore year, Hunt lived in Wells House as a resident assistant (RA). While on call, she responded to a variety of medical emergencies, which taught her how to assess situations, support others and respond under pressure.
“It’s so important, especially going into the medical field, to be collaborative. You’re working with a lot of different people who all play an important role,” she said. “Being an RA strengthened my ability to work in a team environment and handle high-stress situations.”
She recently became vice president of the Pre-Physician Assistant Society. This role involves connecting members, managing social media and increasing community engagement.
She is also a Peer Assisted Study Session (PASS) leader for BMS 307: Human Anatomy this fall. She works alongside Dr. Henry Tsai, assistant professor, and Nicole Gorley, senior instructor and lab coordinator, in the School of Health Sciences.
“I’m excited to work with students to reformat the content they’re learning in a way that’s easily digestible and facilitate their learning a bit more,” Hunt said.
This summer, she completed a month-long education abroad program in Salamanca, Spain, led by senior instructor Luis Lombilla from the department of languages, cultures and religions. She took Spanish and general education courses while living with a host family and immersing herself in the culture.
Getting connected to the college
Hunt’s favorite part about the McQueary College of Health and Human Services has been the relationships she has built with her classmates and professors.
“My classmates are some of my best friends. We have smaller class sizes, so you can get close with the people who are going through the same journey as you. We study and spend late nights doing schoolwork together,” Hunt said.
She has developed a strong connection with Gorley since taking her class and serving as her PASS leader.
“That course really sparked my love for the medical field. It was a turning point from just taking the courses I needed to being excited to go to class,” she said.
That course also included spending time in a Cadaver Lab.
“We have so many resources for undergrads that are unheard of at other local universities. Getting to be in such a lab was a great experience and I learned so much,” Hunt said.
Gaining firsthand experiences
Since spring 2025, she has been receiving patient care hours by working as a cardiovascular technician at Mercy Hospital. She collects blood gases, performs electrocardiograms, places heart monitors and serves on the code team.
This summer, she shadowed physician assistants at the hospital. She experienced a range of areas, including head and neck surgery, inpatient and outpatient care, family medicine, neurology and cardiothoracic surgery.
“Though this summer was busy, it was so worth it and rewarding to get tangible experiences to look back on,” Hunt said. “I was able to use my time to prepare for my future career and further my passion for being a healthcare provider.”
A personal reason to care
Her desire to become a provider is personal. Since childhood, she has struggled with chronic migraines. After years of talking with healthcare providers, she has learned how meaningful it can be to have one who listens, gives patients attention and is determined to find answers.
“Chronic cases are tough, and I would love to be the light and eventually help cure people, and if not, alleviate their symptoms and increase quality of life,” Hunt said.
She aspires to own her own clinic one day, which is where she believes her business minor will come in handy.
Hunt sees access to care as a major challenge in the medical field, particularly when it comes to insurance.
“I’d love to eliminate the middleman and make healthcare more accessible for people regardless of what coverage they can afford,” she said.
After she graduates in December 2027, she plans to take a gap year before beginning physician assistant school in January 2029.
